Where the strange and unusual are welcome.
Every year on May 26th, a marvelous vampiric event occurs annually: World Dracula Day. The occasion marks the date Bram Stoker’s notorious gothic novel, Dracula, was published in 1897. I thought, what better way to celebrate the holiday than with a chat with Bram Stoker’s great grandnephew, Dacre Stoker!
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Did you know there are descendants of Bram Stoker alive today? One of these family members is Dacre Stoker who is the great grandnephew of the notorious Dracula author. He’s taken up the mantle as overseer of the Stoker legacy and, together with his wife Jenne, manages the Bram Stoker Estate. For years, he’s been traveling worldwide, giving presentations on his ancestor and the creation of Dracula and his other literary works. The Menagerie Oddities Market sponsored his most recent tour across California, and he delivered a fascinating lecture at the SugarMynt Gallery in Pasadena. This was done in conjunction with the gallery’s latest art show, the “Bite Me” Vampire Exhibit. It was an evening fit for the undead, and I’m here to share it with you.
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Author and content creator Rose Sinister has been on a mission to explore the question, “Why do we tell vampire stories?” This query laid the foundation for her podcast Rose Sinister: Vampires, which she launched in 2018. Since then, she’s branched off to work on multiple projects dedicated to enriching people’s knowledge of these creatures of the night, plus she’s just released her first novel within the vampire genre titled This Crimson Debt. I had the opportunity to interview the writer and read the story, and it’s fangtastic. Don’t worry; there won’t be any spoilers in the following review.
Continue reading “Spotlight On Rose Sinister: Vampire Scholar & Author”
A strange plague is coming and it’s thirsty for blood…
The Sixth Chamber has released a new music video for their single “Red Death Masquerade” and it’s to die for! The band’s blend of retro gothic metal, gothic rock and epic doom exquisitely sets the dark, foreboding mood for the tale that unfolds throughout the recording.
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Vampires are notorious for their bloodthirst. While I love vampires and desperately wish I were one, I can’t imbibe in the sanguine fluid. However, I do enjoy a glass of red vino and, fortunately for me, there is a Vampire brand that offers a selection of wines inspired by the immortal creatures. I decided to do a tasting of their Summer Solstice Celebration Set and share my experience for any fellow vampire and wine enthusiasts who are looking to add more bottles to their cellars.
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“Walpurgis Night, when, according to the belief of millions of people, the devil was abroad—when the graves were opened and the dead came forth and walked. When all evil things of earth and air and water held revel.”
-Bram Stoker’s Dracula’s Guest
Like bats taking flight from their shadowy cave, gothic metal band The Sixth Chamber has emerged, releasing the lyric music video to their latest single “Walpurgis Night.” The newest track will be part of the group’s third full-length album, which is currently in the works, and nocturnal souls are sure to revel in it.
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My love for vampires has been rooted in me since adolescence. The history, mythology, literature, culture and lifestyle surrounding these nocturnal creatures have long held my fascination. I’ll admit that as a teen, after reading Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire, I hoped that there was a vampire lurking in the darkness, keeping watch over me and waiting for the opportune moment to turn me. Well, that hasn’t happened yet, but I recently experienced a transformation of sorts that has strengthened my connection to the vampire realm—I grew a pair of fangs. No, not literally. I had the opportunity to do a virtual consultation to get custom fangs made by master fangsmith Father Sebastiaan. Read on to find out about my experience.
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What would you do if you were forced to lead an existence that required you to forget your past and succumb to bestial instincts? Author Richard A. Delgado tackles this question in the first book of his new series The Ancient Chronicles: The Newborn. In it, readers meet Leonardo Le’ Muerte, a young man who’s suddenly turned into a fledgling vampire. Without fully realizing the implications of this transformation, Leonardo is forced to adjust to a darker side of life and confront many demons, inside and out.
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Imagine you’re on a journey to a sinister kingdom buried in the center of the moon to battle a wicked demon king known as Fear who has threatened your existence. This is the story that comes to life in dance metal band FIRA’s debut album From Vegas With Blood. Recently, I shared news of the Halloween release of their music video for “Endless Night” and got details about the musical project in interviews with members Hannah Fira and Michael “Vette” Rodd. Now that the album has officially dropped, I had the opportunity to immerse myself in the narrative and listen to the entire set of tracks. Get ready to head out on a “vampirate” adventure.
Continue reading “Fantasy Storytelling With Metal Beats: FIRA’s “From Vegas With Blood” Album Review”
Two ancient vampire households—The House of M and The House of Oh—will engage in the most unholy of wars on November 20th at Crucible Gallery. The battle will unfold through the ominous creations of artists Martin Darkside and Shane Izykowski who will be showcasing new work for their upcoming exhibit Darkness Eternal. There will be pain, there will be death and there will be plenty of blood.
Continue reading “Inside “Darkness Eternal:” A Vampire Art Show by Martin Darkside & Shane Izykowski”
Vamp Jenn's Corner 